


i was born to love you (out where the water is wide)

by hearden



Series: Ex Animo [2]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-16 14:10:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12344253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearden/pseuds/hearden
Summary: Inktober 2017 prompts turned into ficlets for Kim/Kat lovefest, all set in the "Kat becomes Dino Thunder black" verse.





	1. swift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mcmeekin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcmeekin/gifts).



> i'm stuck w/ kat as dt black feels so here, have (what i hope to be) 31 prompts somewhat related to it
> 
> i know i'm starting inktober like super late but u kno whatever

The staff whistles through the air, cracking down with empty hollowness on the tiled floor.

Had Kim not rolled out of the way a split second before, it would've left her with a hearty bruise.

Scrambling to her feet, she twirls her own staff and plants her feet on the ground, evening her breathing out. "I'm a little rusty," she says, shrugging in apology.

Kat raises her eyebrow. "Is that an excuse I hear?" she teases.

Kim rolls her eyes and lunges, aiming for Kat's left side, but her strike is blocked too easily, their staffs clacking together and echoing around the lab. For a moment, there's no sound, save for their off-beat breathing and the beeping of the computers on the far side of the room.

Then, Kat grunts and pushes with her weight, throwing Kim off and sending her stumbling back a few paces.

It's only with the remnants of her reflexes from years ago -- thank God for muscle memory -- that she brings her staff up in front of her chest in time to block Kat's from hitting her head. There's resistance on her end for a second, and then, her staff shatters in half.

Kat blinks, surprised and processing, and Kim manages to recover faster, grabbing Kat's wrist and dragging her forward, wrenching her staff out of her hands and disarming her. She places a swift kick to the back of Kat's left knee. Kat tumbles to the ground but yanks on Kim's shirt at the same time, bringing them both down.

Kim lands on top of Kat, both of them breathing heavily, unmoving as the seconds tick by.

Kat moves to shove her off or flip them over, either one, Kim doesn't know, but Kim grounds her weight, pressing her knees down on either side of Kat's ribs, and pins her wrists down against the tiled floor.

"I thought you said you were rusty," Kat breathes out, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Oh, no, not with this," she murmurs and instinctively leans down.

Their lips are almost touching, and Kim can see just how Kat's eyes put the sky to shame--

The entrance to the lab slides open, the rock slab creaking as it retracts into the ceiling.

"Dr. H-- oh, wow,  _ hello! _ "

Kim scrambles to her feet and straightens out her clothes, trying to look and act natural, even as the kids stand in the doorway, staring at her and Kat.

Kat, to her credit, doesn't get up off of the floor but pulls herself into a sitting position, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Did you guys need something, Conner?" she asks, exasperatedly.

Conner sheepishly fumbles over his words, so Kira elbows him in the side then speaks up for him, "We were just wondering when you'd be free to run through some training, but… it seems like you got started without us."

Kat groans and puts her head in her hands, muttering to Kim, "She's got your sass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title from A Long And Happy Life - Delta Rae


	2. divided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was not rly "divided" but shhhh close nuff

When the kids look at Trent like she never looked at Tommy or Kat, Kim steps between them, squares her shoulders, and hardens her gaze until they falter and reluctantly leave the lab and head home for the night.

Kat stands beside her, equally -- if not more -- sympathetic, her arms crossed. She's trying not to show it, but Kim can see a hint of disappointment on her shoulders. Maybe it's disappointment at her team for behaving the way they do towards Trent, maybe it's disappointment in herself for not being able to save him faster.

Neither of them, Kim knows, are things that either of them can change.

"Thanks, you guys," Trent mumbles, hunching his shoulders and heading for the door.

"Do you need a ride home?" Kat asks, her voice unbearably gentle. Kim keeps herself silent, knowing that this -- whatever it is -- is an important moment for Kat to be in.

"No, I've got it," he says, waving a hand and forcing a smile, "I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Kat places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes once, reassuringly, "I'm here if you need to talk, okay? Kim is, too."

Trent nods. "Yeah, okay," he says, slowly, "I'm not… ready to talk right now, but yeah. Thank you."

He leaves, and the door to the lab slams shut, throwing Kim and Kat into silence.

Kat is on the move instantly, going over to her desk and busying herself by clearing up her workspace and organizing the mess that'd been collecting up over the weeks.

Kim lets her work in silence and just leans against the wall, watching Kat distract herself. She knows what it's like, somewhat, having dealt with red eyes and guilt before, but Kat knows even better, even worse.

"Are you okay?" she asks, knowing it's a useless question, when Kat aimlessly rearranges the same stack of papers three times in a row.

There's a heavy sigh, and Kat's shoulders drop. She turns and shakes her head, a strand of blonde hair falling from her ponytail and into her face.

Kim crosses the room in easy strides, stopping in front of her, and reaches up, tucking the strand behind Kat's ear.

"It still hurts," Kat murmurs, quietly, "It shouldn't because it's been so long, but… when I look at him--" She cuts herself off and sighs again, defeatedly.

"I know it hurts," Kim puts her hand on Kat's cheek, rubbing small circles on her skin with a thumb, "But, I'm here. I'm always gonna be here with you." Kat nods and places her hand over Kim's, warmth seeping into her bones at the accepted touch. "The kids'll come around," she continues, firmly, "I know they will. They just need some time -- time to become a team again."

Kat gives her a small smile and leans down. Kim meets her halfway, pressing their lips together in a brief but sweet kiss.

"I'm glad  _ we're _ a team again," Kat says, softly, when she pulls back.


	3. poison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmmm i did not like how this turned out but meh

Kat dreams of pitch-black eyes and hands around throats.

The monster they'd defeated today could turn friends into enemies, sow discord, wreak havoc. They somewhat knew what they were dealing with by the time something went wrong. Civilians had been infected, and Hayley came up with an antidote, just in time for the monster to rip Kat's helmet off and breathe a toxic gas into her lungs.

She remembers collapsing to her knees and gagging, trying to reverse the effects, but it hadn't worked.

Her throat dry, her vision fuzzy but red, oh so red.

The kids -- her _team_ \-- fallen, on the ground, at her mercy.

Kim riding up on her bike, a syringe in hand.

Her fingers closing around Kim's throat.

A tiny, tiny pinprick of pain on her arm, almost unnoticeable.

Kat jolts awake in bed, blinking against the darkness of the room, her breathing too shallow and the sheets too tight and sticky around her legs. She sits up, disturbing Kim beside her, and runs a hand over her face. She's sweating. Her hands are clammy.

"Hey," Kim's voice is soft but still sleepy as she wakes and reaches out, putting a warm hand on Kat's thigh, "Are you okay?"

Kat sighs. "No," she answers, truthfully, "But I just… gotta get back to sleep."

"C'mere," Kim mumbles, holding up the covers so that Kat can get back under them, and wraps her arms around Kat's waist, pulling her close, "You're okay. You're here with me. Stay with me."

Kat tucks Kim's head under her chin and calms her breathing. "I love you, Kim," she whispers.

"I love you, too, Kat."


	4. underwater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is no actual going under the water in this but you KNOW it's a metaphor or whatever hazel grace

The tide laps around her ankles, but Kat stays firm, her feet planted on the shore, sand trickling between her toes.

Her eyes are closed, and she uses her ears to listen to the sounds of the bay, of the water crashing against the shore, of other beachgoers milling about. Her pants are rolled up, slightly below her knees, but the water isn't that high -- yet, at least, although there's no telling if she walks a few steps further into the sea.

Someone joins her, lingering next to her but not touching, and she breathes in Kim's strawberry shampoo that easily overpowers all the other scents of the beach. Even in a crowd, even in the middle of London, Kat would be able to find her just by closing her eyes and feeling the air.

"Have I told you yet how good black looks on you?" Kim asks, and Kat opens her eyes to glance at her.

"Mmm, no, not yet," she answers, smiling amusedly, "You should fix that."

Kim squints against the sun, adorably scrunching up her features. "Well," she says, matter-of-factly, covering her eyes with a hand, "It looks  _ great _ on you. Better than pink, even."

Kat raises an eyebrow and moves so that she's blocking Kim's view of the sun. She tilts her head, "I don't know if I'd say  _ that _ exactly, but…"

"I would," Kim says, confidently, "You make every color look good."

"Maybe," Kat starts, slowly, "I'll start wearing other colors and we can have a poll… if you'll stay to see them, of course." She's testing, teasing, asking what she doesn't mean or what she does mean.

Kim bites her lower lip and reaches for Kat's hands, holding them in her own. Kim's fingers were warm and soft. "I'm turning in my two week's notice tomorrow," she murmurs, looking at Kat's eyes closely for a reaction.

Visibly, despite her wanting not to, wanting to appear unaffected, Kat's shoulders lose their tension, and she sighs in relief.

Kim chuckles and shakes her head, "What, did you think I was gonna leave?"

"I--" Kat shrugs, "I don't know, Kim, I mean, you have… a job, a life. I can't ask you to stay. Reefside isn't your home."

Kim's hands leave hers but move to either side of her neck. Kat is pulled into a kiss that is lifetimes in the making, lifetimes in the waiting, and she drowns in it, in the gentleness, in  _ Kim. _ When they pull apart, her heart skips a beat, and she struggles to breathe.

"I'm not leaving you again," Kim says with a finality, "I  _ can't _ leave you again. You're my home."


End file.
